Baseball spikes are a rather old fashioned term for baseball shoes. With the advent of artificial turf, baseball shoe manufacturers began to experiment with other materials to allow the players to do their best on different surfaces. Now baseball shoes are referred to as baseball cleats, and a number of different types of sole materials and configurations are available. Many leagues, including kids baseball leagues, no longer allow spiked shoes, which tend to tear up fields and cause more injuries. However, most players in the pro and college ranks continue to choose baseball cleats with steel spikes, and reviewers favor such shoes.
History
As the National Baseball Hall of Fame says, baseball shoes in the 1860s were made of canvas and came in high-top models with spikes. In the 1870s, a leather and canvas shoe was introduced by Spalding, and the company came up with an all-leather shoe in 1882, which sold for $6. Kangaroo hide became a popular material for baseball shoes for most of the 20th century due to its strength, durability and softness. Spikes were immortalized by players such as Ty Cobb, who slid into bases with spikes high in order to intimidate infielders.
Modern Cleats
Baseball cleats come in four different types, says the Eastbay website--metal, molded, interchangeable and turf. "Unlike other sports, baseball cleats are chosen by personal preference and turf rather than position." Traditional metal cleats have spikes that can't be removed, and work best on on extremely hard, natural surfaces. They are used today by high school, college, and professional athletes. Molded cleats, made of hard plastic, have permanent studs and work well on a variety of surfaces. Interchangeable cleats allow you to switch between metal and molded cleats if you play on different surfaces. Turf cleats have grooved rubber bottoms for better traction on concrete or asphalt. There also are specialty baseball cleats for indoor workouts, for female softball players and for kids.
Reviews
The 3Luxe consumer guide recommends three baseball cleats, and all utilize steel spikes. The Mizuno 9 Spike Classis Low 4G is its top choice. Worn by a number of college teams, such as Stanford and Georgia Tech, the G4 is a classic spiked baseball shoe made of kangaroo leather. Mizuno touts its 9-Spike technology, which aims to enhance lateral stability and traction. Two shoes achieve runner-up status from 3Luxe, the Nike Monster Shox Baseball Cleat and the Under Armour Bomber Low Metal Baseball Cleat. The Nike Monster has a track inspired upper with breathable mesh, metal cleats in the front and and molded plastic heel cleats. New York Yankee star Alex Rodriquez wears this shoe. The Under Armour Bomber is a lightweight shoe with steel spikes in the forefoot and heel. It features breathable mesh and liners that wick away moisture to keep your feet dry.
Specialty Baseball Cleats
Trainer cleats are made with a special bottom that can be used both outdoors and on gym floors for indoor workouts. Youth baseball cleats are similar to adult baseball shoes, but they use non-metal cleats, since spikes are not allowed in youth baseball leagues.
Starting in 2008, female high school softball players were allowed to use metal cleats. Female athletes competing on college and U.S. Olympic teams also use spiked baseball cleats. Eastbay says that the spiked shoes offer the best penetration into soft ground, the best traction on grass or hard surfaces, and the most stability when running the bases.
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